Thea Reed is a woman without a past. The search for her true identity leads the postmortem photographer to Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin at the turn of the century. Thea soon finds herself tangled in the town’s strange secrets including family splits, a mental asylum, and the legend of Misty Wayfair. With so many secrets surrounding her, can she possibly find the key to her past?

A century later, Heidi Lane arrives in Pleasant Valley at the request of her declining mother. Upon her arrival, Heidi uncovers more questions than answers about her own identity and what Pleasant Valley could possibly mean to her. When Heidi encounters a mysterious woman in the woods, she’s convinced that she has seen Misty Wayfair. The legend awakens and Heidi is forced to finally find her connection to thistown.

My thoughts:

Y’all, I have not read writing this good in AGES. I’ve read excellent books. I’ve read fiction that has stuck with me like glitter from a preteen beauty pageant. I have never, in all my (limited-but-still-impressive) years, read books like Jaime Jo Wright’s books. They are nothing you expect and all of the right things all at the same time.

I’m a brand-spanking-new member of the Jaime Jo Wright fan club, but I am here with bells on and I am here to stay.

If the parallel story lines have you feeling a little iffy, know that the alternating perspectives are one of Wright’s most effective storytelling tools. It allows for a slow, suspenseful revelation of information that ultimately displays Wright’s creativity and brilliance. As a reader, I’m satisfied. As a writer, I’m left in awe. Obviously this woman is made of literary magic.

And don’t even get me started on the characters. There’s such a depth to Heidi and Thea that you actually ache for them to find what they’re looking for. I instantly fell in love with Rhett, but didn’t discover why until about halfway through the book. He isn’t a talker, but he certainly makes it count when he does speak. I also love Simeon for a million different reasons that I can’t even go into right now because we would be here all day.

Overall, if you’re into eerie suspense, smart plots, and lovable characters, check out Jaime Jo Wright’s new book “The Curse of Misty Wayfair”. It officially releases on January 22nd, so preorder your copy today! This is one you won’t want to miss.

{As always, a grateful shout out to Bethany House and Netgalley for allowing me to read this beauty in exchange for an honest review.}

Gwen Harkness loves the young boy and girl that have seemingly fallen into her care, but Cameron Scott loves them, too. They are, after all, his daughter and nephew. He has more right to them than some stranger, no matter how attached the children may be. But Cameron is an army officer, used to barking orders and demanding respect. Though that technique worked on the battlefield, it doesn’t translate well to the young children he is trying to impress. How can he make them comfortable enough to come home to him? And how can he rip them from the nurturing heart of Gwen?

When the entire crew gets attacked, by weather and by humans, Cam and Gwen are forced to make peace despite their different desires for the children. In the midst of such chaos, the two find that they truly can help one another. In fact, maybe they are exactly what each other needs.

My thoughts:

First of all, can we discuss this cover?! I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover, but I do and I did and I will continue to do so (my bad). The lighting and the scenery of this one is absolutely gorgeous.

This was my first Mary Connealy novel, but it definitely won’t be my last. Though her voice is slightly different from my usual favorites, I’ve discovered that Connealy brings so much to the table. Y’all know that I’m a sucker for heart AND humor, and Connealy delivers in this newest offering. I was invested in each of the characters by the end of the book, even the stubborn and bless-his-heart clueless Cameron.

If you’re looking for a quick and fun read, this book is exactly what you need. Even though it is the second in the High Sierra Sweethearts series, it can be read and understood without the context of the first novel. However, I will say that the history of certain characters and the reasoning behind some of their choices may have made more sense had I been acquainted with the first book.

Overall, I really enjoyed it! The chemistry between the main characters was a slow build into a sweet situation, and though I don’t always appreciate that approach, it worked for this one. It felt very true to Cam and Gwen’s personalities. The Reluctant Warrior is a beauty and it releases TODAY, so don’t take my word for it. Go get your own copy and read for yourself!

{A special shout out to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for allowing this complete book nerd to read brand spankin’ new words in exchange for an honest review.}

Logan Fowler is looking for justice. He left Pecan Gap, Texas as a grieving boy, but he returns as a man determined to right the wrongs against his family. The only problem? Seeking justice is much easier than finding it, especially when a beautiful woman stands in the way.

As an orphan, Evangeline Hamilton knows a thing or two about loss and loneliness. Her peculiar eyes–one brown, one blue–often make her the center of unwanted attention. Aside from a few brave townspeople, she is only close to her brothers Zach and Seth. So when Logan arrives in town and offers friendship rather than fear, Evangeline is pleasantly surprised. But how can friendship, and possibly more, exist between them when Logan is keeping so many secrets?

My thoughts:

I have a Karen Witemeyer addiction and I don’t care who knows it.

As a writer, I commend anyone who can string thousands of words together coherently. Whether I enjoy the final product or not, I have nothing but respect for authors with new releases. It takes so much heart and hard work to tell the stories in their heads.

My respect for Witemeyer exponentially grows from that point, however, because of her consistent ability to create quality works of fiction.

As a reader, dialogue is an aspect that can make or break a reading experience for me. I cannot tell you how many books I have put down simply because the dialogue felt awkward and unrealistic. It’s easy, especially in more tender scenes, for interactions between characters to become cheesy and uncomfortable for the reader. Witemeyer’s dialogue never feels out of place and she continues that trend in her newest release.

Authentic interactions create space for even more believable characters. Though they are quirky and endearing, Logan and the entire Hamilton clan, as well as some surprising additions, are just as flawed and human as the rest of us. Exposing their humanity against the backdrop of a well-written plot seems to be one of Witemeyer’s many creative gifts.

If you enjoy historical romance with a touch of humor and a whole lot of heart, be sure to check out Karen Witemeyer’s newest release. More Than Meets the Eye is an absolute showstopper with the offerings of every great inspirational romance: an honorable hero, a kind heroine, and a faithful God to see them through every nail-biting moment of suspense.

{A special shout out to Bethany House Publishers for allowing this complete book nerd to get her hands on a new release from Karen Witemeyer in exchange for this honest gush session. AHEM. I mean, review.}

Courtney LaShea.

Hey there! I’m Courtney.

I’m so glad you’ve found this little corner of the internet. Around here, we’re all about honesty with a dash of hope. We aim for our faith to be as strong as our coffee (or our tea, for those of us with a rebellious streak). We believe in the power of encouragement and sharing our stories. Please feel free to stick around and join us!